Crypto Anarchy and the Gospel of Thomas

How the Gospel of Thomas can guide us towards the discovery of the Kingdom of Crypto Anarchy in the XXI century.

Computer technology is on the verge of providing individuals and groups with the ability to communicate and interact with each other completely anonymously.

This is what Tim May wrote in 1988 in the Crypto-Anarchy Manifesto, describing his idea of Crypto-Anarchy.

Crypto Anarchy is a particular doctrine of cyberspace founded on extreme privacy and anonymity made possible by new cryptographic technologies:

Interactions on networks will be untraceable, thanks to extensive rerouting of encrypted packets and tamper-proof devices that implement cryptographic protocols with almost perfect assurance against any interference.

Tim May envisioned that cyberspace would give capable and knowledgeable individuals (those possessing the necessary knowledge) the opportunity to establish crypto-anarchic virtual communities—meaning without any central power, no government, no leaders; only shared rules among the members of the community.

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The idea is further explored in a short essay titled “Crypto Anarchy and Virtual Communities”:

The combination of strong, unbreakable cryptography and virtual network communities in cyberspace will produce interesting and profound changes in the nature of economic and social systems.

However, today’s Internet is far from Tim May's crypto-anarchic dream; quite the opposite. Surveillance and censorship are quite common, every online transaction is transparent by default, encrypted communications are under political attack, and our interaction are always profiled. The space for freedom and self-determination is becoming increasingly narrow.

In Search of the Kingdom

Crypto Anarchy is a Kingdom that must be sought and conquered.

To enter the Kingdom of crypto-anarchy, it is necessary to know and master at least the basics of the technologies that make it possible, prepare intellectually, and share your ideals with like-minded people.

Today, I would like to address a few difficulties of this endeavor with the help of a sacred text: the Apocryphal Gospel of Thomas. This is a collection of 114 aphorisms attributed to Jesus, reflecting typical Gnostic teachings (from the Greek word gnosis, meaning “knowledge”) aimed at encouraging the readers to embark on a path of introspection to obtain the necessary Knowledge to elevate their spirit.

Some teachings contained in the Apocryphal Gospel of Thomas can also be interpreted in light of the modern world and the Digital Age in which we find ourselves. I think it would be interesting to discuss these insights together, also to stimulate a different perception of topics often addressed on these pages, such as Crypto-Anarchy.

Due to its Gnostic nature, the Gospel of Thomas was considered heretical by the founding fathers of the Church, as it contained teachings that differed from Christian theological orthodoxy. For this reason, it is still considered an apocryphal text (from the Greek apókryphos, meaning "hidden" or "secret"), not included by the Christian Church in the official canon of the New Testament.

The Gospel was (re)discovered in 1945 in Egypt, in a place called Nag Hammadi, along with a collection of the most important Gnostic texts discovered so far, which became known as the Nag Hammadi Codices.

An Initiatory Path

Just as in the search for the Kingdom of God, in the quest for the elusive Crypto-Anarchy, it is essential to awaken one’s awareness and acquire the necessary Knowledge. After all, this is the core of Gnostic teachings: to guide the initiate on their path to personal enlightenment.

Let’s explore together some quotes from the Gospel of Thomas that can also guide us in understanding the significance of the pursuit of freedom and privacy in cyberspace.